Why are we thinking about having our police unionize? Like Duck Key and Marathon and most of the other keys--who do not have a police department--why don't we use the Monroe county sheriffs department for our policing? Let's just eliminate our police department!
Used to be we used the police department for code enforcement violations. However, we certainly don't need that now with our Gestapo code enforcement officer Barry on the job 24/7! One almost doesn't want to live here anymore! Barry sits out in front of peoples houses at 11:55 to warn them that he will give them a ticket if they put their garbage out five minutes early. It's really a nice, friendly place to live!!! But it seems that it would be a lot more cost efficient to use the Monroe county sheriffs department instead of having our own police department!
Sue Bartkus
Key Colony Beach
May 23, 2023
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KCB has the lowest crime rate in South Florida, largely because we have a very visible police department with officers who know us (and we have the geographical blessing of being a small island with only one escape). Contracting the MCSO would switch us from that neighborhood policing model to a periodic patrol model.
Here's another response:
We have 5 police officers for 800 resident + or - . That's a lot of police for that many people. I know we have upwards of 1000+ renters some or most of the time. Let's say we have 2,000 people on the island in the worst case scenario. Almost no cities, even the largest ones have 2.5 policeman/1000 people. For instance Pembroke Pines has 1.3 police/1,000 people. When a city is heavy on police it is usually a sign that crime is somewhat out of control. More police mean more crime. That is not so for KCB.
Here's the reason I would not want the County police here. You are right, there will be no community policing because there is a huge turnover among the Middle Keys Sheriff's Office. Most live outside of the Keys (Homestead/FL City) or if they do live here, they can only afford to live down Big Pine way. They can't wait to get an assignment in Key Largo or Key West. They are not staying in the Middle Keys. This was told to me by a member of the MCSO.
I think the problem with the police is that there is not a written down coherent job description--at least none that I can find on the city website.
One of the KCB officers told us why the force wants to unionize.
"The short answer? Dave Turner."
Then they offered the long answer: "Dave Turner."
The question isn't why do we want to eliminate our local police department. The question is why do we keep such a divisive administrator and his minions?
